Silhouette Dreams
by elegantcrime
Summary: Bella starts a new life in Forks, attempting to forget her horrible past. Life becomes a struggle for her, before the Cullens decide to intervene. Will Bella fall for Edward and forget what she's been through?
1. Running From Lions

A/N: I apologize for starting the story from the start again, but I recently re-read my work, and it was really horrible. I'm surprised no one's told me. So I'm restarting it with a similar plot line & minor changes. Again, I'm sorry! And I hope you enjoy my story.

Running From Lions

"_This won't hurt a bit," he whispered as he stepped closer toward me, his dark brown eyes dancing mischievously. "Stay back," I warned, my voice breaking. He laughed once. "Or what, you're going to run to your daddy for help?" he jeered, twirling the knife he held in one hand as he advanced toward me once more. My blood-curdling scream lasted for only a few seconds, before his hand clamped over my mouth. I felt a sharp jab to my forearm and gasped as I felt a small trickle of warm blood slide down my arm. He smiled at me one last time, before the darkness closed over me._

I woke up panting, and sweating as I fumbled around my bed, and quickly wiped the tears that were rapidly flowing down my cheeks. I hopped out of bed, in attempt to turn off the wretched beeping noise coming from my alarm clock, tripping on my bed sheets during the process. I landed on the wooden floor with a loud thud, wincing as I tried to let the pain subside. There was a knock at the door, and then I heard Charlie's concerned voice, "Bella, are you alright in there?"

"I'm fine dad, thanks," I muttered, disentangling myself from the sheets, and pushing myself off the floor heavily.

There was a moment of silence before he decided to speak again, "Bells, you better get ready for school. Don't want to be late on your first day of high school, do you?"

"Of course not," I mumbled to myself, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I waited until I heard Charlie's footsteps descend down the stars, so he couldn't see how swollen my eyes had been. When I was sure he was gone, I hurried to the bathroom to dress myself.

I had the same dream almost every night, since the day I've been here – which has been almost two months. And I would wake up the same way each morning, shuddering and sweating profusely, as I attempted to erase the memories from my mind. I dared not mention anything to Charlie; he was already worried since the attack, I'm sure he heard me talk in my sleep every night. I mentally scolded myself for distracting my train of thought – I was supposed to be getting ready.

Absentmindedly, I slipped into a pair of comfy sweats and a simple blue t-shirt. I walked slowly down the stairs, making sure not to stumble over my own feet, and greeted a now, smug looking Charlie.

"What's going on dad?" I sighed. He just grinned, and led me outside, to reveal a rusted, red Chevy truck, covered with a thin layer of cloud white snow. I hadn't realized my mouth had fallen open, until I noticed Charlie's disappointed expression.

"If you don't like it, I could always return-" I cut him off quickly, "It's exactly perfect. I love it. Thanks Dad!"

It may have not been a sleek, fancy car that most people wanted, but it was exactly right for me – simple and unique with personality.

I hugged Charlie, and hurriedly jumped into the drivers' seat, preparing myself to meet my doom. High School.


	2. Walk On Water Or Drown

Walk On Water Or Drown

I jumped out of my new truck, grabbing my bag and slamming the door shut. The school bell went off, and I walked quickly toward the front doors. I was cautious as to where I stepped, knowing that I could trip at any given moment – the ice was just another reason to be even more careful. The second bell rang, and I picked up pace. Being me, I slipping on a patch of black ice and fell roughly on the blacktop. My head made a cracking sound against the pavement, and I groaned, trying to ignore the throbbing in my skull, and the curious onlookers.

"Hey, are you okay?" My eyes fluttered open, as I took in the blonde haired boy wearing a worried expression, standing in front of me.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks," I muttered, pulling myself up.

"I'm Mike. You must be Isabella, right?" He smiled at me, joyfully.

"Bella," I corrected him, quickly.

"Right, we better hurry. Don't want to be late. Can I help you get somewhere?" I groaned internally, as I realized that Mike was probably one of those overly helpful boys.

"I think I can manage. Thanks Mike," I sighed, managing a small smile. His face fell slightly, as I waved to him and walked off to the English building.

I hesitated before walking into the classroom. I hated being the center of attention. I stood there debating whether or not to go in – the butterflies in my stomach growing steadily more persistent.

After a couple seconds of thought, I decided that my clumsiness would only bring me a bigger audience anyway, so sighed and slowly opened the door. I ignored the eyes boring into my back as I walked up to the teacher, handed him my note and slipped into my seat. I looked up cautiously, seeing a few heads turned back, staring at me. I flushed and slid further down into my seat. It was going to be a long day.

The rest of the day was a repeat of English class. Everyone stared at me, watching and observing my every move as if I were some new toy. It only made it harder not to blush. I shook my head and headed off to the cafeteria.

I looked around, for somewhere to sit, when a girl named Angela Weber caught my eye, and smiled timidly at me, inviting me to come sit with her and a couple other kids who I had met earlier today.

Angela was a sweet person. I had only met her earlier today, but she wasn't like all the other girls who constantly gossiped about hot guys, and makeovers. She didn't talk as much as all the girls either, and we were alike in that matter. I liked her, and was hoping maybe we could become friends.

I walked over to the table and took a seat next to Angela.

"Hey Bella!" I looked up to see Jessica smiling at me. "Let me introduce you to these guys." She pointed toward a blonde haired girl sitting in front of her, and grinned. "This is Lauren, Mike, Eric, and Angela!"

I had already been acquainted with all of them, except for Lauren, who, by the looks of it, didn't seem too pleased to see me. She sat directly across from me, keeping her gaze uninterested and cold, as I greeted her. Occasionally she would shoot me death glares. I shivered as I thought 'If looks could kill.' I dismissed the thought, quickly and bid everyone goodbye as I walked to Biology, with Mike.

Our walk to Biology was silent and uneventful, since Mike seemed to be having some sort of internal battle. Suddenly, he stopped and turned to face me, his blue eyes shining.

"Bella, I know this is kind of straight forward, since I just met you – but,"

He was interrupted by Jessica, who was rushing behind us and had called my name. I spun to face her, and she thrust a book into my hands. "You forgot it in the lunchroom," she panted. I thanked her, before she turned and sprinted down the hall to her class.

"I'm sorry, Mike, what were you saying?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.

"Nothing important." He spoke while staring at anything but me.

The entered the classroom, and were sent to our seats. Mike was seated in front of me, next to Lauren, and I was sitting next to an empty desk. Lauren turned and sneered in my direction, before tossing a small scrap of paper on my book and turning back to the front of the classroom as if nothing had happened.

I un-crumpled the sheet of paper, as the teacher droned on. Scribbled hastily in blue ink was a message from Lauren.

_Stop trying to steal my friends. None of us want anything to do with you, so just go back to wherever you came from and leave us alone._

My eyes began to fill with moisture as I tossed the piece of paper in the trashcan. I tried not to look up, all throughout class, feeling slightly angry and hurt. What was her problem? I didn't even know her.

The bell rang; a feeling of relief spread through my body and I tried to hurry out of the classroom, when Lauren's leg shot out from her desk without warning. I tripped over her foot, falling to the ground face forward, dropping my books everywhere. Lauren just towered over me and began to laugh, as everyone joined in with her. The tears of embarrassment and hurt flowed freely down my cheeks as I gathered up my books, and ran out to my truck.

--

Everybody knows this is the part

of breaking down in anybody's arms

Walk On Water Or Drown – Mayday Parade


	3. Clocks And Time Pieces

Clocks And Time Pieces

I drove all the way home, with the tears streaking silently down my cheeks. I parked my truck outside the house, and ran upstairs to my room, locking the door behind me.

Charlie wasn't home, and I was glad that I had the house to myself for a couple hours.

I lay down on my bed, and buried my face into my pillow, sobbing now, wishing I could just disappear.

After what seemed like hours, I got up and decided to go for a walk. I didn't know where I was going to go, but I needed to get out of here. Not caring that my hair was a mess, and my eyes probably red and swollen, I grabbed my shoes, and coat, flung the door out of my way and started walking down the street. The cold winter air slapped my face, as small puffs of cotton white snow fell gently from the sky, and I felt a few tears dribble down my cheeks.

Lauren was right; no one wanted to be friends with me. And why would they? I was the boring, unattractive girl from Phoenix. The only good friend I ever had was the man who attempted to murder me. I snorted at the absurdity, startling a passing old woman wrapped in heavy clothes. _I sure knew how to pick them, _I thought bitterly.

For the first time since the incident, I let myself really think about him. The way he would protect and care for me and how I interpreted his actions as brotherly, while he thought otherwise.

_I was making dinner for myself, and waiting for Renee to get back from her latest date._

_I hurried over to answer it, and was surprised to see that it wasn't Renee, but my best friend._

_There he stood, grinning impishly, his shaggy hair had been combed down, and he held a small bouquet of flowers in his hand._

"_Hey, how's it going?" I smiled at him, eyeing the flowers warily._

"_Nothing really. Just wanted to talk to you for a bit," he replied with a shrug of his shoulder.._

_I let him in, and then walked over to the couch and sat down. Turning around, I waved my hand to call him forward. He dropped the bouquet of flowers on the table, and sat down next to me, cleared his throat and then he asked,_

"_Bella. You remember how I told you about this one girl, who I really liked?" I nodded once._

_He had told me that he fell deeply in love with a girl, with fair skin, shining eyes and a smile that lit up the room, and a personality to match. I was euphoric, that he had finally found someone who could make him happy. He also informed me that he couldn't tell me her name until the right time; of course we argued about this every day._

_His eyes shone with a light that I'd never seen before, as he continued eagerly, "Well, _you_ are that girl, Bella." My throat went dry, and my mind wiped clean of any thoughts, as he went on,_

"_I knew it from the first time I met you. Your eyes, your smile, your voice; you are so beautiful. You're caring, funny and smart, and I know this may be a big step, but I think I love you, Bella."_

_I sat there staring at him in shock; my eyes felt as if they would pop out of their sockets. This was not where I thought the conversation would be headed. It had_ _to be a joke. I had never thought of him as more than a best friend and a brother to me. _How did this happen? _I thought desperately._

"_I don't know if I- " I started, averting my gaze away from him. But I was cut off as he leaned in, grabbing my chin, and without any notice, pressed his warm lips onto mine with crushing force. I tried to push him away, but he was stronger than me. His lips moved against my frozen ones, until he gave up and let go of me. He looked deep into my eyes, searching for something._

"_What the hell was that?" I spluttered, throwing my hands up in the air, and pushing myself further away from him on the couch._

_His expression hardened. _"_I'm sorry," Was all he said in return. He sure didn't sound sorry._

"_Look, I love you as a _brother._ I'm so sorry. I don't know what I did to lead you on, but I could never look at you as more than a friend. It's best if we stay friends and..." I trailed off as I took note of his furious expression. "I'm sorry," I whispered again._

_Suddenly, he pushed himself off the couch, and strode into the kitchen. He walked back into the room moments later, one hand behind his back. Grabbing my arm, he lifted me up off the couch, and roughly shoved me up against the wall, where a picture of my mother and I landed on the floor with a loud thud; the glass shattered everywhere. My eyes widened in disbelief. I knew he had a temper, but he had never attacked me, or any girl for that matter._

"_Ouch, let go! You're hurting me," I panted quickly, feeling the blood flow stop in my arms._

"I'm _hurting _you_? Do you know what you've done to _me_? I just told you that I've been in love with you for years, and you tell me that you only wanted us to be _friends?" _he bellowed. The urge to cover my ears was growing by the second, and I would have followed through, if he had not pinned down my hands._

_I whimpered beneath his grip. "No, Bella. That's not how it works. You either tell me you love me now, or you won't live to hear tomorrow's news about how Isabella Swan was killed by her _friend_" he was breathing heavily, now. _

"_I hate you," I looked back at him fiercely. His entire body trembled and his hold on my arms was getting stronger, every second. My eyes rolled back into my head. I couldn't feel my arms anymore; his grip was too strong. He released me immediately, and I sank to the floor unsteadily, trying to open my eyes. Once my breathing was under control, I stood up, and faced him again. _

"_This won't hurt a bit," he whispered as he stepped closer toward me, his deep eyes filled with sorrow, and amusement._

"_Stay back," I warned, my voice breaking. _

_He laughed once. "Or what, you're going to run to your daddy for help?" he jeered, twirling the knife he held in one hand as he advanced toward me once more._

_I screamed at the top of my lungs, but it lasted for a mere few seconds, before his hand clamped over my mouth, shutting off any sound. I felt a sharp jab to my forearm, and gasped, as I felt the warm trickle of blood slide smoothly down my arm. He looked at me; disbelief, pain, and satisfaction evident in his eyes, before darkness closed over me._

_I awoke the next morning, in a familiar room. I heard various beeping and dripping noises; they were starting to get annoying. I groaned as I realized I was in the hospital. Renee noticed I was awake and hurried over to me, to give me a hug._

"_Oh, Bella I was so worried! I got back home with Phil, and we found you. Phil called the police and they've caught him now. Everything's going to be fine, sweetie," she whispered through her tears. I returned her hug, and smiled at her. _

"_You don't mind staying in Forks, with your father for a while, do you? Only for a little while, I just want you to be safe," She said, eyeing me carefully. _

"_No mom, I think that's a great idea. It's about time I visited Charlie again," I managed a week smile, not wanting to relive the previous day ever again._

I wiped my tears, and started walking a little faster. I hadn't really paid attention to where I was, until now. It was a small plaza, filled with little shops, and boutiques. Spotting the bookstore, I decided that I would kill some time in there. I stared straight at the shop, as I was walking, and bumped into a short girl standing as still as stone on the sidewalk. She spun, glaring at me balefully.

"Oh. I'm so sorry. I guess I wasn't watching where I was going," I stuttered incoherently. I looked at the short girl's face and almost gasped aloud. She had short, cropped black hair, sticking out in every direction and her piercing golden eyes glowed with warmth as I studied her pixie like features.

The moment I had started talking, the wrinkle in her forehead disappeared along with her frown, only to be replaced with a brilliant smile.

"Don't' worry about it! I'm Alice by the way." Her voice sounded like wind chimes blowing in the wind, soft and gentle, with an excited undertone.

"I'm Bella. It's been really nice meeting you, but, uh. I have to leave now," I muttered pathetically. Her smile was replaced with the same frown I saw, when I first met her. She stood silently, staring off into space for a minute. I stood there awkwardly, unsure what to do.

"Alright. I'll be seeing you soon, anyway," She shrugged, breaking out of her trance and gave me a hug, before dancing off to sit in her yellow Porsche before I could ask what she meant. I only stared after her; her walk was so smooth, so graceful. I wondered how one could pull that off. Her skin had been ice cold, and made me shiver, though it wasn't unpleasant. I realized she must have been standing outside in the cold, and shivered again.

I sighed, as I watched the Porsche speed down the road, and then checked the time. It was 6:30, and Charlie would be home any minute now. I decided to cancel my plans for the bookstore, as I trudged back home.

**Alice's pov:**

Knowing my cell phone was going to ring any, minute, I pulled it out and waited, as I handed the store clerk my final stack of clothes. 5, 4, 3, 2, _ring! _I smiled, as I answered the call, only to hear Rose's irritated voice, "Alice, how could you leave me at home! I thought we were going shopping together!" I sighed dramatically.

"Well, sister dear, you were too busy spending time with Emmett, and I thought it would be rude to interrupt," I giggled into the phone, and saw the lady behind the desk crack a smile. Rosalie just gasped, and then disconnected the line. I knew I would have to buy something special to make her happy again, so I picked out a beautiful little red dress, which I was certain would look lovely on her. I grabbed my bags, and headed outside. I stood there for a moment, looking down at the beautiful shopping bags I had clutched in my hand, and smiled.

I felt something, as light as a feather brush my back, and a scent of freesia filled the air. Venom coated my teeth, at the pulsing heartbeat and heat that was radiating off of the human behind me. It was much easier to ignore the temptation of sinking my teeth into this human, since I had hunted yesterday, but it was still difficult.

I turned around, with a frown on my face. I studied the girl in front of me. Her brown eyes were glistening with tears, swollen and rimmed with red. Her long, brown, wavy hair flowed half way down her back, and her tiny pink lips were turned down, and yet, she looked surprised.

"Oh. I'm so sorry. I guess I wasn't watching where I was going," She said quietly. I wasn't really paying attention to what she was saying. I was too focused on the vision I was having.

_I was standing in a store, with shopping bags in each of my hands, a wide smile plastered onto my face. This girl, whoever she was, stood next to me, rolling her chocolate brown eyes, and smiling, as her arm was linked around mine._

This girl was going to be my best friend. The thought of having a human best friend, brightened my day, and I felt a huge smile spread across my lips.

"Don't' worry about it! I'm Alice by the way." I was ecstatic and I knew she could tell, since she looked taken aback.

"I'm Bella. It's been really nice meeting you, but, uh. I have to leave now," I frowned at her. Did she not want to be my friend? I scanned the future quickly, and then smiled as I discovered that Bella attended the same school as I did, and we would get the chance to talk, later on tomorrow.

"Alright. I'll be seeing you soon, anyway," I shrugged. I held my breath as I reached over and gave her a gentle hug, and she seemed to relax slightly. I smiled, and walked over to my car, and human pace. Excited to tell everyone about my new best friend, I stepped on the gas pedal, speeding much too quickly down the street.

--

We've all got a past, and these ghosts are holding us back.

Clocks & Time Pieces – Search The City


	4. Letdown

**Hey! I don't really like writing up here, but I would **_**really **_**appreciate if you guys could review my story, if you have time, since I'd like to know what you guys think. All criticism will be adored; you're helping me make the story better.** Letdown

I awoke early the next morning, already dreading the remainder of the day. Fingers crossed, I jumped out of bed, and looked out the window in hopes for bad weather resulting in the school's closure. To my misfortune, the clouds looked as dreary as ever, without the downpour of snow or rain.

I sighed, and got dressed, and went downstairs to say bye to Charlie.

"Morning Bells, You don't look so great. Everything alright?" He asked me, concern lacing his voice, though he attempted to sound offhanded.

I mustered up the best smile I could manage, "I'm fine, Dad. Don't worry about it." He seemed slightly more mollified as he drank his coffee and bid me goodbye.

Before I knew it, I was in my car, driving towards the school; the clenching feeling in my stomach getting worse every second I got closer.

I parked in my usual parking space, and kept my head down, as I walked off towards my first period class, silently praying that Lauren would stay far away from me.

I was gleeful, almost giddy, when Lauren made to attempt to approach me during the day, and it remained uneventful as ever.

--

I strode into the lunchroom, ready to turn to my regular table when I realized: _I didn't have anyone here. _I was certain Lauren had taken good care of that, since the rest of our friends hadn't spoken to me all morning, and cast simple weary looks in my direction. Angela caught my eye from across the lunchroom, and hastily looked back towards Lauren blabbering away to Jessica, and back down to her lunch.

I sighed, understanding what she was trying to convey, and turned to look for an empty table, when I heard a familiar, soprano tinkling voice call my name. I turned towards the sound, to find the small pixie girl standing close behind me, with a twinkle of happiness in her amber eyes, and an easy smile on her face.

"Alice!" I grinned at her small frame, remembering her from the previous night. "I'm so sorry about yesterday, I was a little preoccupied."

She waved her hand, dismissing it, "Come on, you've got to meet my family." She danced gracefully towards her table, where three more people, their beauty equivalent to Alice's'.

"Have a seat, I'll be right back, with my brother." She pulled out a chair for me, gave me a final parting smile, and walked out of the cafeteria, leaving me in complete silence, with three other strangers.

I took a seat, awkwardly fidgeting and playing with my fingers, while the gaze of three beautiful peoples' pierced right through me.

My gaze flitted towards the well-built boy sitting across from my seat. He was _huge_, but very good looking, with a mop of curly, dark chestnut colored hair, and an impish grin that accentuated his dimples. I cast another wary look at his huge arms, and almost shuddered. He followed my gaze, and flexed his muscles, making my face tinge pink. He laughed loudly, and the beautiful blonde girl sitting next to him shot him an annoyed look, though her lips twitched a little.

The blonde girl was beautiful beyond belief, with her flowing blonde hair, curvaceous body, and angelic face. She seemed a little hostile at first, but seemed to enjoy the company of her family, smirking at the lean, blonde haired boy sitting next to her. His hair was wavy, and well kempt; the dark shadows under his eyes seemed more prominent, than the others did. He also shared the same golden eyes as the rest of them, though his seemed somewhere in between black and gold.

After a few minutes of our analysis of each other, the big one spoke up, a deep rumbling bass-like noise, which made me jump in my seat. "Hey. Well I guess since Alice isn't here, we should introduce ourselves. I'm Emmett Cullen. This here," he tilted his head towards the pretty blonde girl, "Is Rosalie Hale, my girlfriend." She replied with a curt nod and small smile. "The quiet one over there, is Jasper Hale, he's Alice's boyfriend." Jasper nodded, still looking somber. "Our other brother, Edward should be here in a minute or two, Alice went to go get him." Emmett finished with a satisfied smile, and all three of them looked towards me expectantly.

I sat, staring back blatantly, before realizing I hadn't introduced myself. My mouth formed a small 'oh,' and I cleared my throat, "It's nice to meet all of you. My name's Bella." I smiled at them, happily. Taking note of Jasper's pained expression, the smile slid from my face, and I furrowed my eyebrows, trying to think of anything I may have said to offend him.

At that moment, I was distracted, because all three pairs of amber eyes were not focused on me, but over my shoulder.

I turned, curious to what they were looking at, and found myself face to face with the most glorious creature I'd ever seen.

His unkempt, bronze hair, was sticking out in odd directions; impulsively, I thought of plunging my hands through his silky locks. His jaw was sharp and angular; I followed the line of his face, leading to his soft, inviting pink lips, which were curved up into a heartbreaking crooked smile. I lifted my gaze towards his eyes, and vaguely heard my intake of breath. His smoldering honey colored eyes, pierced right through me, and shone with amusement and confusion.

The angel's lips moved, and a musical sound floated around, but I couldn't decipher the words, until a moment later. "Hello Bella, I'm Edward."

"Nice to meet you," I breathed, mesmerized by the sound of my name coming from his lips. I heard someone behind me snicker, and blushed crimson, remembering that everyone else was still sitting behind me.

Edward and Alice took their seats, and the questions began being thrown at me. I was slightly taken back, and guarded at first, but decided to take a chance and see where this would lead. I was able to tell them a little about my old school in Florida, my mom and Phil, my decision to live with Charlie, and blushed profusely when Alice asked if I had a boyfriend back home, which I answered to with a meek 'no', making Alice beam.

Deciding I'd heard enough about me, I switched the conversation around, and begun asking them questions in return. They told me that their parents, Esme and Carlisle Cullen, adopted them all at a very young age. Esme was a stay at home mom, while Carlisle worked at the local Forks hospital. I questioned their absence on the first few days of my arrival, and they informed me that they tended to go camping a lot with their family. Emmett was quick to inform me of Alice's strange tendencies to zone out a lot, and that Edward was just a strange one, regardless - to which he objected with a scowl.

Lunch was almost over, and I noticed no one else had touched their food other than myself, I asked, "Hey, aren't you guys hungry?"

Jasper smiled wryly, while Emmett grinned, teeth, dimples and all, saying, "We are. But we prefer beverages, specifically the hu-" Rose slapped the back of his head, and glared at him warningly, as he pretended to wince.

I smiled at their banter, a little slow to realize that Alice and Edward were having some sort of staring competition. His eyebrows were raised, as if daring her to say something, and her eyes were pleading with him. Edward's frown deepened, and Alice muttered something too fast for me to catch, before she swiveled in her seat, facing me.

"Bella, we're having a sleepover tomorrow after school, and I want you to come. I'll ask Charlie and everything. It'll be so much fun! You'll come, won't you?" She was almost bouncing in her seat, and I felt like I could use her company, especially if that meant no more run-ins with Lauren.

"Of course, Alice," I watched her eyes go from pleased, to excited, to calculating, and then she stared off into space.

Edward scoffed, and I looked to him, slightly confused, but his eyes met mine, and I felt the familiar heat creep up my cheeks again. Neither of us broke the stare, until a sharp ringing snapped us back to reality, and my fingernails were suddenly very fascinating I heard Edward's chair scrape against the linoleum floor, and detected a sense of hostility, when he answered his phone, with a sharp "Hello Tanya." He excused himself from the table, but not before Emmett boomed a laugh, telling Edward, "Take your time."

My head snapped up just in time to see his, tall lanky form exiting the room. "Is Tanya is girlfriend?" The question slipped out of my mouth before I could control it. Alice smirked. "She wishes. She's been after Edward for a while now. He's stuck on keeping it at a _just friends_ relationship. Personally, I find Tanya to be a little annoying," she said with a sour look on her perfect features, which I found rather amusing.

The bell rang, signaling that Lunch was over. I gathered my bags, said bye to everyone, and went off towards the biology classroom.

Half of the class had already settled in by the time I arrived, so I took my seat and waited for the teacher to arrive. I noticed the seat next to me was still empty, and decided that the student who sat here did not attend the school any longer. I pulled out my notes and drew aimlessly, until I heard a warm voice startle me, "Bella. You're in my seat."

I looked up to see Edward standing over me, his amber eyes radiating warmth. I blushed, feeling even hotter, and grabbed my bag and moved to the empty seat next to me, muttering an apology.

"It's no problem," he replied with a dazzling smirk, and casually turned his attention to the front of the class.

He made no more attempt to start a conversation during the class, and remained focused on what the teacher had to say.

Each time he would speak, his velvety voice made my heart thump excitedly in my chest, and I berated myself for thinking that the man of perfection sitting next to me would have even given me a second glance.

At the end of class, I packed up my things as quickly as possible, in attempt to avoid Lauren, who had been looking at me menacingly the entire time. I hurried out the door, trying to push past the crowd of kids, when my foot caught in the doorjamb, and I felt myself falling towards the ground, again. In attempt to protect myself, I threw my hand out and squeezed my eyes shut tightly, anticipating the pain that would shoot through my arm any second now. A spark shot through my skin, around my hips. Not painful, but it was cold, like a pleasurable humming feeling that shot through my body.

My eyes opened in shock, and I was met with a wide-eyed Edward, who had caught me around the waist. He seemed as shocked as I had, but recovered sooner; his lips twisted up into a smile as he was mumbling "Silly, Bella. Watch where you're going." His sweet breath caressed my face, and I could've drowned in it. My head swam with his luscious scent that was unlike any other, and my eyes almost drifted shut. He set me right on my feet, and was gone faster than I could make sense of what had happened.

I looked around the room; everyone watched me in shock, and stared at me wide-eyed, as they passed by. I blushed, and headed towards my locker to gather my belongings, and be ready for the day to end.

I was nearing my locker, when the devil herself, showed up, keeping in step next to me, her nose slightly raised in the air.

"Do you _really _think you have a chance with _Edward Cullen_? I mean, really, Isabella. The Cullen's haven't bothered talking to anyone in the school, let alone take them on a date. There's no use in trying."

I stopped in my tracks, and looked Lauren square in her eyes, gathering up my nerves. "Quite frankly, Lauren, I think you have jealousy issues that you need to sort out. Spiteful people always end up losing."

Enraged, Lauren's face flushed a splotchy red color, as she pushed me roughly, attempting to make it look like an accident, and shoved my books out of my arms, letting all the papers spill freely across the hall. "Stay away from me," She spit, her voice trembling with rage, before she walked away.

Tears blurred my vision as I bent down to retrieve my papers. People passed by, casting odd glances now and then, but never stopped to offer help. Of course, that _is _what you get when you cross Lauren Mallory, I thought bitterly.

I gathered the last of my books, and picked myself up off the floor, and walked down to my locker, when a hand grabbed my shoulder. Worried that Lauren had come back, I stiffened, and turned, prepared to be yelled at or abused.

My body relaxed when I saw Angela standing behind me, clutching a few of my loose papers in her outstretched hand. I muttered a quick thanks, grabbing the papers from her. "You don't have to pity me, you know," I told her, sadly. I had thought Angela was different, and wouldn't be friends with someone like Lauren to start with.

"I'm not pitying you, Bella. It was stupid of me not to realize that Lauren was no good, I'm sorry. I was hoping we could start over again, and be friends?" She offered with a small smile.

"I'd like that, Ang," I grinned, and hugged her to show my appreciation, surprising the both of us. After saying goodbye, I finally collected my bag from my locker, and left, towards the parking lot.

Driving home with a smile on my face, slightly cheered by Angela's proposal and the Cullens, I thought, _Maybe highschool isn't so bad after all._

--

She said you're just a letdown, All your friends they feel the same.

-This Providence.


End file.
